News

Low-key lords clock in, then clean up

The House of Lords: critics have warned the system of payments is too lax (Carl Court)

NEARLY 50 members of the House of Lords picked up attendance payments worth at
least £1,000 each last year — despite making no contribution to debates.

The “silent peers” include three, all Labour, who were paid more than £40,000
for attending. They also claimed tens of thousands of pounds in travel costs
between them.

The size of payments to peers who do little in the chamber has sparked demands
to tighten the system of self-regulation and to revive attempts for
wholesale reform of the House of Lords.

Some admit using the Lords for non-parliamentary work. Lord Temple-Morris, who
defected from the Conservatives to Labour, said he used his office to write
his memoirs, among other work. Another said his Lords work included
membership of a group specialising in whisky.

“They are not accountable to anybody,” said Sir Alistair Graham, former
chairman of the committee on standards in public life. “Every time